Career
K. Balachander is known among actors as a tough taskmaster. He was able to extract from these actors some of their finest acting performances for his films. Before his work in Indian cinema, he was a school teacher in Muthupet, Tiruvarur District, and a playwright.
M. G. Ramachandran asked him to write dialogues for the film Dheiva Thaai. His films include Tamil productions such as Apoorva Raagangal (1975), which deals with a father-son relationship and inter-generational romance that culminates in a complex quandary. Avargal (1977), which follows the life of a divorcée as she traverses relationships in reverse, from divorce, to marriage, to falling in love. Varumayin Niram Sigappu (1980), a drama that charts the travails and conflict of being unemployed in a bombastic and harsh city. 47 Natkal (1981), which traces the adversities of a newly-wed Indian woman living with an scurrilous, expatriate husband in a Parisian suburb; and Sindhu Bhairavi (1985), about the intellectual collision and subsequent romance between a lofty Carnatic musician and his ardent female critic. Ek Duuje Ke Liye (1981, Hindi), about cross-cultural romance in India, for which he received two Filmfare nominations: direction and best story.
His Telugu films include Maro Charithra and Rudraveena. He directed the story about a woman breadwinner taking care of her family in several languages: the Tamil film Aval Oru Thodar Kathai (1974), the Telugu film Anthuleni Katha (1976), and produced the Kannada film Benkiyalli Aralida Hoovu (1983).
His later films include Parthale Paravasam (2001) and Poi (2006). He is credited with discovering new talent in acting, direction, and other technical areas, many of whom have made a mark in their fields. Rajnikanth, a discovery of Balachandar's, and Kamal Hassan, whom he moulded into a great actor, prove this.
His serials, Kai Alavu Manasu, Rayil Sneham, Kadhal Pagadai, Premi, Jannal, Anni and others have been successful. "This medium helps to reach out to the public. That's why I am into making serials," says Balachandar. He strongly feels that the three medium of entertainment — theatre, cinema, and television are bound to co-exist. One cannot destroy the other and the public will see what it wants.
After nearly 40 years, and as a homage to his friend Nagesh, Balachander recently returned (and was "reborn" as he claims) to theatre through the play Pournami. Starring Renuka and Poovilangu Mohan, among others, the story is about a homemaker whose husband gets caught in Pakistan under the suspicion of being a terrorist.
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